Use of soil‐streamwater relationships to assess regional patterns of acidic deposition effects in the northeastern USA

Declines of acidic deposition levels by as much as 50% since 1990 have led to partial recovery of surface waters in the northeastern USA but continued depletion of soil calcium through this same period suggests a disconnection between soil and surface water chemistry. To investigate the role of soil‐surface water interactions in recovery from acidification, the first regional survey to directly relate soil chemistry to stream chemistry during high flow was implemented in a 4144‐km² area of the Catskill region of New York, where acidic deposition levels are among the highest in the East. More than 40% of 95 streams sampled in the southern Catskill Mountains were determined to be acidified and had inorganic monomeric aluminum concentrations that exceeded a threshold that is toxic to aquatic biota. More than 80% likely exceeded this threshold during the highest flows, but less than 10% of more than 100 streams sampled were acidified in the northwestern portion of the region. Median Oa horizon soil base saturation ranged from 50% to 80% at 200 sites across the region, but median base saturation in the upper 10 cm of the B horizon was less than 20% across the region and was only 2% in the southern area. Aluminum is likely to be interfering with root uptake of calcium in the mineral horizon in approximately half the sampled watersheds. Stream chemistry was highly variable over the Catskill region and, therefore, did not always reflect the calcium depletion of the B horizon that our sampling suggested was nearly ubiquitous throughout the region. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

Streamflow regime of a lake-stream system based on long-term data from a high-density hydrometric network

Northern landscapes are dominated by a mosaic of lakes and streams, yet only a limited number of studies have explored how these lake-stream networks influence streamflow regimes. In order to gain further insight into the hydrologic behaviour of lake-stream systems, we conducted a study using long-term streamflow data to investigate the annual-, seasonal- and event-scale streamflow regimes of a lake-stream network at the Turkey Lakes Watershed (TLW) in central Ontario, Canada. Streamflow metrics were compared for seven lake and 12 no-lake catchments within the TLW, in addition to 14 no-lake catchments from other forested landscapes. It was difficult to attribute patterns in annual streamflow regimes to the influence of lakes due to the confounding influence of catchment size; however, streamflow regimes appeared to be less flashy at locations with more lake influence. In addition, lake catchments showed high similarity in streamflow regimes across seasons, whereas no-lake catchments showed more similarity to lake catchments during wet seasons but less similarity during dry seasons. Event-scale streamflow regimes further downstream from lake outlets were associated with greater increases in peakflow response and hydrograph rise rate following rain events than locations closer to lake outlets. Antecedent conditions were also important for both the peakflow response and rise rate, but less so than the amount of rainfall during the event. Variability in streamflow across lake-stream networks appears to be driven by interactions between delayed contributions from lakes and relatively rapid runoff contributions from hillslopes and tributaries without lakes. In addition, streamflow regimes are influenced by temporal changes in lake storage deficits, which are a function of lake and catchment properties, as well as hydrometeorological conditions. Our results highlight that a network-scale perspective that incorporates lakes and streams is needed to understand how these landscapes will hydrologically respond to environmental change.     

Bidirectional stream–groundwater flow in response to ephemeral and intermittent streamflow and groundwater seasonality

It is often assumed that the net groundwater flow direction is towards the channel in headwater streams in humid climates, with magnitudes dependent on flow state. However, studies that characterize stream–groundwater interactions in ephemeral and intermittent streams in humid landscapes remain sparse. Here, we examined seasonally driven stream–groundwater interactions in response to temporary streamflow on the basis of field observations of streamflow and groundwater on an adjacent hillslope. The direction of hydraulic head gradients between the stream and groundwater shifted seasonally. The stream gained water (head gradients were towards the stream) when storage state was high. During this period, streamflow was persistent. The stream lost water to the groundwater system (head gradients were away from the stream) when storage state was low. During this period, streamflow only occurred in response to precipitation events, and head gradients remained predominantly away from the stream during events. This suggested that mechanisms other than deep groundwater contributions produced run‐off when storage was low, such as surface and perched subsurface flowpaths above the water table. Analysis of the annual water balance for the study period showed that the residual between precipitation inputs and streamflow and evapotranspiration outputs, which were attributed to the loss of water to the deeper, regional groundwater system, was similar in magnitude to streamflow. This, coupled with results that showed bidirectionality in stream–groundwater head gradients, indicated that headwaters composed of temporary (e.g., ephemeral and intermittent) streams can be important focal areas for regional groundwater recharge, and both contribute to and receive water, solutes, and materials from the groundwater system.     

Influences of sudden changes in discharge and physical stream characteristics on transient storage and nitrate uptake in an urban stream

Changes in the physical structure of urban streams can occur abruptly due to flashy high‐flow events and subsequently alter stream processes, including transient storage and nitrate uptake. We examined temporal variability in transient storage and nitrate uptake by exploring the effects of altered physical characteristics resulting from a single high‐flow event in three reaches of Spring Creek, an urban stream in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. Study reaches of varying geomorphic and hydraulic characteristics were chosen to represent distinct geomorphic settings in terms of substrate size, sinuosity, bed slope, and degree of rehabilitation and structural controls. We performed detailed physical characterizations and multiple nutrient injections of Br^? and NO₃^? to estimate transient storage and nitrate uptake in each reach. A comparison of pre‐flood and post‐flood data indicates that transient storage and nitrate uptake are highly context specific and mediated by interactions between geomorphic setting and flood discharge. In the two reaches that showed significant post‐flood increases in transient storage (250% to 350% increases in F_med²⁰⁰), the pool‐riffle reach exhibited a significant increase in uptake velocity, while the channelized reach did not. In contrast, transient storage decreased post‐flood in the third reach containing hydraulic structures. These complex responses likely reflect reach‐specific differences in hyporheic versus in‐channel storage. This study shows that repeat injections are necessary to describe nutrient dynamics because transient storage and nitrate uptake can be highly variable over time (showing changes on the order of 100%) due to variation in discharge and geomorphically influential flow events. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantifying aggregation and change in runoff source in accordance with catchment area increase in a forested headwater catchment

There has been a great deal of research interest regarding changes in flow path/runoff source with increases in catchment area. However, there have been very few quantitative studies taking subscale variability and convergence of flow path/runoff source into account, especially in relation to headwater catchments. This study was performed to elucidate how the contributions and discharge rates of subsurface water (water in the soil layer) and groundwater (water in fractured bedrock) aggregate and change with catchment area increase, and to elucidate whether the spatial variability of the discharge rate of groundwater determines the spatial variability of stream discharge or groundwater contribution. The study area was a 5‐km² forested headwater catchment in Japan. We measured stream discharge at 113 points and water chemistry at 159 points under base flow conditions. End‐member mixing analysis was used to separate stream water into subsurface water and groundwater. The contributions of both subsurface water and groundwater had large variability below 1 km². The contribution of subsurface water decreased markedly, while that of groundwater increased markedly, with increases in catchment area. The specific discharge of subsurface water showed a large degree of variability and decreased with catchment area below 0.1 km², becoming almost constant above 0.1 km². The specific discharge of groundwater showed large variability below 1 km² and increased with catchment area. These results indicated that the variabilities of stream discharge and groundwater contribution corresponded well with the variability of the discharge rate of groundwater. However, below 0.1 km², it was necessary to consider variations in the discharge rates of both subsurface water and groundwater. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

水系沉积物标准物质研制

为满足区域地球化学调查及矿产勘查的需要,新研制了15个水系沉积物标准物质,其中6个样品是原有水系沉积物标准物质的复制,9个新研制的样品主要采自中国北方的森林沼泽和干旱荒漠特殊景观区。样品粒度依据区域地球化学调查规范的要求,森林沼泽区采样粒级为2.0～0.22 mm,干旱荒漠区采样粒级为4.76～0.90 mm,山区和丘陵地区的采样粒级为小于0.22 mm。样品在室内晾干后在110℃烘24 h,置于大型高铝瓷球磨机粉碎并混匀,使样品中小于0.074 mm的部分大于99%以上。样品采用波长色散X射线荧光光谱进行进行均匀性检验,方差检验的F值小于临界值,所有元素的RSD均小于4%,大部分元素的RSD小于3%,P、Mn、Ti、Fe2O3、K2O等元素的RSD小于1%,证明样品均匀性良好。经2年内4次分析,检验结果表明对所检验的元素和成分均未发现统计学意义的明显变化,证明样品的稳定性良好。采用多家家实验室用不同原理的方法联合定值,邀请全国15家有资质的实验室采用准确度较高的方法分析测试约72种组分,根据ISO导则35和国家一级标准物质研制规范的要求,计算15种水系沉积物标准物质中72种元素和组分的标准值(部分组分给出参考值)和不确定度,这些新研制的标准物质是原有水系沉积物标准物质的一个补充。     

青海格尔木红石山地区水系沉积物测量异常特征及优选找矿靶区

通过对红石山地区1∶2.5万水系沉积物资料处理,圈定了W、Sn、Bi、Au、As、Sb、Cu、Pb、Zn等异常,揭示了区内异常的分布特征,评价异常的找矿意义,划分了元素组合。结合地质成矿背景,依据化探综合异常及元素组合特征,确定钨、金、铜多金属的3个找矿远景区,其中优选1号综合异常为最佳钨、金找矿靶区。     

太平沟水系沉积物异常特征及找矿效果

太平沟水系沉积物异常是运用森林沼泽景观区区域化探工作新方法圈定的异常,经三级查证后认为是矿致异常且找矿前景较好。在后续的勘查中发现了中型斑岩钼矿,充分体现了区域化探信息的找矿先导作用和森林沼泽景观区区域化探工作新方法的有效性。对太平沟地球化学场的展布特征进行了研究,运用优选剩余异常法提取异常信息,分析了异常特征,探讨找矿方向。     

长白山泥炭湿地主要植物植硅体形态特征研究

对长白山地区常见的泥炭地25个属31个种植物进行了植硅体形态鉴定统计,共发现植硅体类型15种,它们分别是硅化气孔、棒型、扇型、板型、硅质突起、尖型、导管型、帽型、齿型、哑铃型、鞍型、多边帽型、毛发型等。除禾本科和莎草科、菊科部分植物植硅体含量高外,木贼科、堇菜科、茜草科、蓼科等部分植物植硅体的含量也较高。禾本科植物的短细胞植硅体对植物分类有意义,但可能因采样环境和种类差异等原因,长白山泥炭湿地禾本科植物的植硅体在形态和数量上都与其他区域同类研究结果有所差异,如禾本科早熟禾亚科的菵草中新发现了含量丰富的枕木型植硅体,黍亚科的荩草和水稗中还发现少量帽型植硅体; 另外菊科兴安一枝黄花和齿苞风毛菊含有大量的特殊的尖形植硅体。硅化气孔宽度大小可指示环境湿度状况,对硅化气孔的数量和大小的深入研究将对古环境和古CO₂浓度的恢复有一定帮助。长白山泥炭湿地植物的植硅体与植物的分类关系密切,湿地植物植硅体中硅质突起、棒型、哑铃型和尖型植硅体特征组合代表湿冷组合,本研究中的5块泥炭湿地植硅体的组合特征受纬度变化影响不明显。     

桂林寨底地下河硝酸根含量特征研究

工农业生产迅速发展使地下水硝酸盐污染成为世界性的环境问题.因此,研究地下水中硝酸根含量特征具有重要意义,在水文地质条件特殊的西南岩溶地区尤为重要.本文以岩溶地区典型地下河--广西桂林寨底地下河为例,分析了地下河系统不同季节硝酸根含量特征,发现地下河中硝酸根含量受降雨和人类活动影响较大.